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The Tabla Project explores the possibilities of the tabla outside the traditional Indian music framework. The diverse music on the album indulges world music resonances in a sonic journey into a new musical landscape that is driven by the tabla. With beautiful melodies on the shakuhachi, slide guitar and tar that are underwritten by piano, bass and guitar, the album is as sweet as it is energetic. Delving deep into new musical possibilities for the tabla, including new melodic and harmonic roles, the music is broad, the instrumentation changing, and the energy vibrant. With splashes of virtuosity, much of the music is subtle, flowing and evocative.
“A really wonderful album”
Geoff Wood, ABC Radio National “Soothing and intricately structured 65 minutes of therapeutic sonic vibes” SONGLINES World Music Magazine - UK "The Tabla Project is a beautiful and atmospheric instrumental album that presents the pitched capabilities of the Indian tabla within a superb, uniquely Australian intercultural ensemble setting.” Stuart Vandegraaff - Music Trust Magazine Sam Evans - tabla and percussion, Luke Howard - piano, Anne Norman - shakuhachi, Stephen Magnusson - guitar, Pandit Debasis Chakroborty - slide guitar, Ben Robertson - bass, Ria Soemardjo - voice, Helen Mountfort - cello, Robert Burke – clarinet, Damian Evans – guitar and bass, Reza Kashi - tar and setar.
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“New and old music – there are elements of both combined in Fine Blue Thread’s new CD, and this creates a music form that is outside time and uniquely their own.”
PBS-FM, Melbourne |
Fine Blue Thread - WHAT MAKES ME HUMANFINE BLUE THREAD are pleased to announce the release of their third studio album. This long awaited recording expands on the trio's signature approach of beautifully crafted and textured contemporary world music compositions - melding Ria Soemardjo's exquisite Javanese influenced vocals with Helen Mountfort's lush baroque cello and Sam Evans' unique melodic tabla and percussion. Master Iranian musician, Reza Kashi, brings another soulful, poignant layer to several tracks, with a virtuosic performance on Tar, Setar and Oud. Ria Soemardjo - voice, Sam Evans - tabla, kanjira and percussion
Helen Mountfort - baroque cello, Reza Kashi - oud, tar and setar |
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Barlines and Beyond explores the intersection of Western style improvisation and Indian Classical music, developing a working model for cross-cultural ensemble collaboration. The members of the ensemble come from Australia and India with musical expertise in traditional Indian music and a Western jazz/improvised sensibility which includes all original compositions.
“Australian world music collaboration at its very best.” - Music Trust Magazine
Sam Evans - tabla and percussion, Stephen Magnusson - electric guitar, Robert Burke - tenor, soprano saxophones and alto clarinet, Debasis Chakroborty - Indian classical slide guitar.
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A diverse album of improvised world music from award winning guitarist Stephen Magnusson, Indian slide guitar master Pandit Debasis Chakroborty and eclectic tabla player Sam Evans. The album features a wide span of music that is at once spacious and intimate, fresh and bold, dark and light, electric and acoustic, virtuosic and eminently listenable - creating a beautifully recorded album of music that is distinctly Melbourne. Recorded largely as a set of live improvisations, the album combines the distinctive talents of three musicians; Stephen Magnusson brings a wealth of jazz guitar experience, Pandit Debasis Chakroborty an unparalleled clarity of Indian classical music and Sam Evans' diverse and contemporary melodic tabla approach. The album is a snap shot of our times - multicultural, bold, lyrical and alluring.
“The way these three players improvise such changes in atmosphere, tempo and emotion coming to a poignant ending together is marvellous.” - Music Trust Magazine
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Blueprint is the new album from Melbourne Trio Fine Blue Thread. Featuring the superb Javanese inspired vocals of Ria Soemardjo, the melodic multi tabla style of Sam Evans and the cello of Helen Mountfort( My Friend the Chocolate Cake) Blueprint is a stunning collection of songs showcasing this unique combination of instruments. Exquisite and delicate textures, hypnotic and pulsating rhythms, this album creates a fresh new sound, distinctively Australian but drawing widely from our region. Special guest Anne Norman adds a new voice to the mix to two tracks with her world renowned Shakuhachi playing. Sam Evans - tabla and percussion, Helen Mountfort - cello, Ria Soemardjo - voice and viola.
“Their musical prowess and passion for improvisation has produced a perfect backdrop for what is simply, really good music!” - Lopa Kothari, BBC Radio, London
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Red Mountain is the debut album by world music trio Fine Blue Thread: Helen Mountfort ('cello, My Friend the Chocolate Cake, Cosmo Cosmolino), Ria Soemardjo (voice and viola) and Sam Evans (multiple tabla and percussion). This new trio plays finely crafted, fresh and intriguing compositions that are influenced by the traditions of Indian, Javanese and Western classical music.
Sam Evans - tabla and percussion, Helen Mountfort - cello, Ria Soemardjo - voice and viola. “Based in tradition but decidedly modern, their delicate mix of influences unfolds gently, revealing a rich collage of enchanting melodies and rhythmic nuances.”
- ABC Limelight Magazine - 4.5 Stars |
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Sam Evans & Pandit Debasis Chakroborty
A beautiful album showcasing Indian classical music with Australian tabla player Sam Evans, who has toured throughout India with Pandit Debasis Chakroborty - an all India A-grade artist of the highest standing in India. The album includes three ragas in three talas: Raga Charukeshi in Tal Tintal, a cycle of 16 beats (4 + 4 + 4 + 4). Aroha: sa, re, ga, ma, pa, dha (komal), ni (komal), sa. Aboroha: sa, ni (komal), dha (komal), pa, ma, ga, re, sa (ascending - CDEFGAbBbC and descending CBbAbGFEDC). Raga Hansdhwani in Tal Jhaptal, a cycle of 10 beats (2 + 3 + 2 + 3) followed by Tal Tintal. Aroha: sa, re, ga, pa, ni, sa Aboroha: sa, ni, pa, ga, re, sa (ascending CDEGBC descending CBGEDC). Raga Mishra Pilu in Tal Dadra, a cycle of 6 beats (3 + 3) Important note combinations in this raga are: ni, sa, re, ga (komal), re, pa, ga (komal), re, ni, sa, ni, and re, ma, pa, dha, ni (komal), pa, ga (komal), re, sa, ni, sa. Sam Evans - tabla, Pandit Debasis Chakroborty - Indian classical slide guitar. |
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Samuel J Das & Samuel J Evans
Sitarist Samuel J Dass joins Sam Evans on Tabla through an exploration of the Rasa of Shringar. Shringar is the pathos of happiness and joy in Indian philosophy. Samuel J Dass is a multi-award winning iconic Malaysian Sitarist and a disciple of Ustad Shahid Parvez. Sam Evans is an Australian Tabla Maestro, PhD in Tabla, founding director of the Melbourne Tabla School and disciple of Pandit Anindo Chatterjee. Samuel J Das - sitar, Samuel J Evans - tabla |
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Sam Evans and Bijay Mishra
Madhu Mahal is a recording of the traditional solo drumming repertoire of the tabla known as tabla lehara. It is comprised of a variety of composed and improvised compositional forms that combine to create a single piece of music known as tabla lehara – the solo drumming repertoire of the tabla. The individual pieces within a tabla lehara performance present different aspect of tabla playing from completely composed compositions to themes that are the basis of extended improvisations. The performance is designed to be listened to as one continuous piece of music. Sam Evans - tabla, Bijay Mishra - Sarangi |
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